We all get the heebie jeebies when we think about writing your own vows, Garratt and I were no exception. We really did not know where to start, apart from the legal requirements, what do you write?

To make sure we were both on the same page and our vows would compliment each others, we decided to use a “guide”. We would each start with a statement then move on to talk about what we love about each other. Next came our promises, the legals and our final words. We wanted our vows to really show our family and friends why it was so important for us to become husband and wife, so they are fairly lengthy. You can make your wedding vows short and sweet or long and poetic, the key is to make sure you communicate that to your fiance’ to ensure everything is well balanced.

Do not, I repeat do not spoil your ceremony by sharing exactly what you have written with each other, just keep the communication about your vows to the basics. For example we gave each other our word count and a rough idea of what types of statements were include.

The content of your vows can be difficult to come up with when you are trying to tell your other half everything you love about them, I found that all the little love letters we had written was great inspiration, also i found some really lovely quotes we both appreciated and included snippets of those too.

Image credit Casey Jane Photography

 

My vows to Garratt

Garratt, in a strand of ordinary events
our stars aligned in the most unremarkable way;
our connection was instant.
I never thought it would lead us here; I wasn’t expecting that.
On our first date, I knew I was falling in love with you.
I had the strangest feeling I’d known you my entire life,
so I just smiled like an idiot
because Garratt, I had found my home in you.
You have the most beautiful soul.
You are kind, generous,
you always go out of your way to help everyone.
You are the most amazing father to Paige
and I’m so in awe of how naturally
you have become a father to my children,
and the love you have for them.
I love that you can make me laugh when I’m cranky,
that without hesitation you support me in everything I do.
I love the way you look at me,
the way you brush the hair from my eyes,
and how you tell me you love me… at least 50 times a day.
You are my person and
in the presence of our witnesses
I, Claire Elise Sundell
take you, Garratt James Campton to be my wedded husband.
I promise to always be the one you can tell anything to;
you will forever feel that you can.
Your goals and dreams will always be just as important as my own,
and I promise to gently push you
towards them when ambition fades.
When the mundane has taken over the romantic,
I promise to love you quietly, like it’s our secret.
I’ll show you my love in the simple things
when it’s just the two of us.
I promise I’ll always see everything that’s amazing about you,
and remind you when you’ve forgotten.
I promise I’ll always put the toilet paper the right way round
have coffee in the morning for you,
and kiss you when you’re angry… until it’s annoying!
Garratt, you make me truly happy in a way no one else can.
Loving you comes naturally, I know no other way to feel.
I will love you with my whole heart, for my whole life.

Garratts vow to me

Claire, somehow I knew we were going to end up together
even before we first met in person.
I love you. Very simple. Very truly.
You are the epitome
of everything I have ever looked for
in another human being.
There isn’t another soul on this planet
who has ever made me half the person I am
when I’m with you.
I am forever changed because of who you are
and what you mean to me.
I love your compassion for people
even when they are undeserving of your love.
I love the way you look at life
and treat everyone with respect.
In the presence of our witnesses
I, Garratt James Campton
take you, Claire Elise Sundell
to be my wedded wife.
I promise to make you smile whenever you’re sad
and carry you around when your arthritis is bad.
I promise to get you medicine when your tummy aches
and build you a fire if the heater breaks.
I promise to give you my coat if you are cold
and I’ll even let you hold the remote control.
I promise to tell you everything will be OK
and try to tell you are beautiful every day.
So let me do the dishes in our kitchen sink
and put you to bed when you’ve had too much to drink.
I will be the man, who grows old with you.
When I say, ‘I love you’, it’s not because I want you
or because I can’t have you.
It has nothing to do with me.
I love what you are, what you do, how you try.
I’ve seen your kindness and your strength.
I’ve seen the best and the worst of you.
And I understand with perfect clarity exactly what you are.
You’re a hell of a woman.
You are the one.